30 Years Ago, Alanis Morisette's 'Jagged Little Pill' Began A Record-Breaking Chart Run

On May 4, 1996, Alanis Morisette began a historic run on the pop charts with her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill. The record was originally released in June 1995, but peaked in popularity across the world in 1996 with the release of "Ironic" as a single.

Despite having previously released two albums prior to Jagged Little Pill, it wasn't until 1995 that Morisette finally broke onto the international charts and cemented herself as one of the leading voices in '90s alt rock.

The album peaked at No. 1 in both the United States and United Kingdom, with several other countries jumping onto the trend in the weeks that followed its release. The record also topped charts in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Much of the album's success was fuelled by "Ironic", the song that launched Morisette's global career and remains her most successful track to this day. The single's release in 1996 boosted album sales even further, pushing it to No. 1 on the U.K. Singles chart-and remaining there for six weeks.

The record also spent a staggering 12 weeks at No. 1 in the United States, dominating the radio for months and ultimately becoming the best-selling album of the year. Jagged Little Pill was also nominated for nine Grammy Awards, of which it won five-including Album of the Year. At the time, Morisette became the youngest artist to ever win the award.

While "Ironic" was a massive international hit, it wasn't the only successful track on Jagged Little Pill. One of the biggest reasons for the album's enduring popularity is that it's stacked with hit singles, from "You Oughta Know" to "Hand in my Pocket" to "All I Really Want".

The album was a massive departure from Morisette's previous two pock-rock records, leaning into a grungier sound that instantly resonated with audiences around the globe. The dirtier, guitar-driven instrumentals and edgier lyrics perfectly made use of the evolving rock genre in the '90s.

Morisette continued breaking records as Jagged Little Pill continued selling copies and winning awards. She later became the first Canadian artist to ever achieve double diamond sales-a record that would later be shattered by Shania Twain with The Woman in Me.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 4, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

2026 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.

This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 8:50 AM.